June 18, 2018 - - John 20:21-22 When peace is elusive

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

John 20:21-22 ESV

One does not need peace unless he is going through great trials and battles. One doesn't appreciate peace until the absence of peace results in a mind that is racing and a heart that is stretched to the point of breaking. One cannot receive peace unless the Father and His Son, Jesus, pours out the Spirit of Peace on him.

The peace of Jesus Christ is this: all things, every single trial, pain, grief, battle, loss, brokenness has been redeemed by His cross. Now Jesus shows to our Father in heaven His hands, His feet and His side and these are intercession enough so that those who are in Christ will be sustained and kept in the Father's care until we see our King face to face.

We have peace now not because our battles are done, but because Christ's victory is already won and no matter what we face, He has got this.

Jesus, Captain of our Salvation, in the raging battles, when peace is so elusive, help us to fix our eyes on You so that we will be assured again and again You have sealed Your Spirit within us, Your victory banner is waving over us and we are secure in the Father's love. Our Father's love for us rests on us and does not depend on whether or not we feel it. The Scripture assures us of His love in Christ. So Jesus, receive the reward of Your victory, by Your Spirit lead many sons and daughter through the fierce cacophony of battle into Your peace. Amen.

June 15, 2018 - - Psalm 125:1-2 Rock solid security

Those who trust in GOD

are like Zion Mountain:

Nothing can move it, a rock-solid mountain

you can always depend on.

Mountains encircle Jerusalem,

and God encircles his people—

always has and always will.

Psalm 125:1-2 MSG

"We wander like lost sheep, true, but God is a faithful shepherd who pursues us relentlessly. We have our ups and downs, zealously believing one day and gloomily doubting the next, but he is faithful. We break our promises, but he doesn't break his. Discipleship is not a contract in which if we break our part of the agreement he is free to break his; it is a covenant in which he establishes the conditions and guarantees the results...

"All the persons of faith I know are sinners, doubters, uneven performers. We are secure not because we are sure of ourselves but because we trust that God is sure of us. The opening phrase of the psalm is 'those who trust in God'--not those who trust in their performance, in their morals, in their righteousness, in their health, in their pastor, in their doctor, in their president, in their economy, in their nation--'those who trust in GOD.' Those who decide that God is for us and will make us whole eternally."

E. Peterson "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction" p 89

Who is like You, Sovereign GOD, faithful and steadfast?! Blessed is Your Name! Great is the sure salvation which is ours in Jesus Christ. Mighty is Your Spirit planted deep within our hearts who keeps us under the spout where the grace of God pours out everyday, in every way. Amen.

June 14, 2018 - - Hebrews 1:3, 2:1 Are you sleepwalking through life?

He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

Hebrews 1:3, 2:1 ESV

Consider what that first passage from Hebrews is teaching. Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God--in Jesus we see the love of the Father, the justice of the Majestic One in heaven--sin is punished in the body of Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus have their sins punished in Christ and walk in Jesus' purity and therefore have direct access to the Father in heaven. The Spirit of God is sealed into us so that we are aware of the glory of Jesus and live for Him.

Jesus upholds the universe. Scientists are disproving the theory of dark matter. The very real question remains, what holds this universe together? The testimony of the Bible is that Christ, the Captain of our salvation, the Disarmer of the Enemy and the One Who makes us pure--He upholds the universe from the smallest atoms to the furthest reaches of the universe, Jesus has it all under His control.

Do not drift away. How easy it is to drift away. How easy it is to let the cares of the world overwhelm you. How easy it is to assume familiarity with the things of God so that Bible study and prayer are neglected and our hearts grow cold.

Pay closer attention! Wake up to the wonders of the splendour of our Father in heaven. Dig into the Bible and see Jesus, glorious and upholding the universe. Plead with the Spirit to revive your soul so that you will not drift away but glow with the thunderous reflection of His dazzling majesty.

Spirit of Truth arouse us from our *somnambulation so that with watchful, wonder-filled eyes we see the radiant Son of glory. Spirit of Help we confess how in our laziness and inattention to all that matters we neglect the fullness of life that is ours in Christ. Forgive us we pray. ^Vivify us so that our mind and digits, our soul and actions declare the praises of Him Who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light and life~in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

*somnambulation: sleep-walking

^vivify: bring us to life

June 13, 2018 - - Isaiah 5:20 Courage to call evil evil

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Isaiah 5:20 NIV

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. John 3:19 ESV

...the categories in which we speak about evil have been transformed: "sin" became "crime" which in turn became "sickness", which in its turn became "dysfunction".
What is true of categories is true of institutions too. Professionalism, most people would agree, is infinitely better than being unprofessional, amateurish, and mediocre. But professionals, experts, and specialists not only enable but all too often disable--by removing traditional ways of handling human responses to problems and creating dependency on a layer of experts, such as the "grief counselors" who descend on communities after catastrophes such as the Columbine School murders. 
Such broad ways of marginalizing traditional responses to evil and suffering can be seen throughout the modern world. But what matters even more are the specific ways in which this sidelining affects each nation's capacity to recognize and resist evil. When none dare call it evil, evil does not disappear--it is all the freer to surprise us and do its deadly work.
Os Guinness: "Unspeakable--Facing up to evil in an age of genocide and terror"

It is evil to teach children about sexual promiscuity in our schools and then be surprised that we live in a culture where there is all kinds of sexual misadventure. Courts are filled with cases of rape where women are made to feel victims all over again. It is because sex has no boundaries in our culture.

It is evil to allow Muslims in Canada to call for the destruction of Israel without the penalty of calling this hate speech.

It is evil for provincial and federal government to overspend their budgets, budget for deficits and put our generation, our children and following generations into terrible debt.

It is evil to murder pre-born children in the womb. There is no excuse for it.

What can bring transformation? It is a repentance from sin and evil and turning to Jesus Christ. He is our peace. Following Jesus Christ obediently means we call evil what it is: evil, and we choose to walk in His light.

King of Justice and Mercy, one of the most devastating expressions of Scripture is this, Isaiah 5:13: 
Sheol has enlarged itself
And opened its mouth beyond measure;
Their glory and their multitude and their pomp,
And he who is jubilant, shall descend into it.
People shall be brought down.
In Jesus' body on the cross sin has been punished and the wrath of God poured out. All who go to Him for sheltering forgiveness are saved, but the frightening truth of Scripture is this: evil-doers will parade into jaws of hell which had been widened to receive them. Spirit of the Living God bring revival across our land. Let the glory of God cover this great nation as the waters cover the sea. Let evil be thrown down and the glory of all that is good, all that is found in Christ, be exalted once again. Amen.

June 7, 2018 - - Isaiah 46:8-9 "Do you leak?"

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Exodus 20:8

Remember this, fix it in mind,
take it to heart you rebels.
Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me. Isaiah 46:8-9

But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. John 16:4

You will find this command, "Remember!", all through the Bible. Why does God place such an emphasis on remembering? Why do preachers repeat the story of Jesus and His love over and over again?

Listen to this great explanation from Thabiti Anyabwile, it is from his main session talk at the 2018 T4G Conference:
Christians leak.
We are like those old Saturday morning cartoon characters.
When one is shot full of holes and he tries to drink water, it leaks out of him through all those holes.
Pastors, repeat the truths of the Bible because
your people leak!

Who is a God like You, O LORD?! You made us, knitting us together in the womb. You remember our frame and our weakness, our proclivity to sin. By Your Holy Spirit cause us to remember Jesus Christ, our Saviour and King. By this same Spirit of Power cleanse us from our sins and help us, every moment of every day, to remember to walk in His will and in His way. Amen.

June 6, 2018 - - Proverbs 4:23 Exhausted?

Guard your heart above all else
for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23 NLT

Sin is not where the enemy most often gets his foothold on the godly. Rather...the enemy more often latches on to weakness--or maybe I should say a hidden spot of vulnerability. Of course, Satan knows that weakness can turn into sin in a heartbeat when exposed to just the right amount of pressure.
Beth Moore "When Godly People Do Ungodly Things" page 56

According to Susie Larson, the Chinese word for busyness combines two symbols made up of these two words: heart killer.
From "Your Sacred Yes" page 21

O LORD my God, I cried to You for help,
and you have healed me.
O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those
who go down to the pit.
Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints
and give thanks to his holy name.
Psalm 30:2-4 ESV

June 5, 2018 - - Hebrews 2:10 Jesus the Captain of our Salvation

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Hebrews 2:10 NKJV

What a glorious title for Jesus 'the captain of their salvation'! Let me be direct, there are enough songs and mushy sayings in Christianity that make me, as a man, feel very uncomfortable when speaking or singing them in reference to Jesus. There are phrases like: "I am crazy loving You" or "I am so in love with You." Okay. Um.

Here in our text we have a strong name and title for Jesus: the captain of our salvation. I can follow a leader like that. There is something that stirs the soul of a man and emboldens the heart to think of Jesus with sword drawn, ready to lead into battle. My soul shouts--Yes, I will follow You to victory! His drawn sword has already won the greatest battle, He has conquered sin and death, destroyed the power of hell and now He is leading HIs people to victory.

William Gouge says:
Let us therefore take courage, and being instructed in the right way, and led on by so skilful a guide, so valiant a captain, so tender a shepherd, so merciful an high priest and a mediator, so gracious with the Father, let us look unto Jesus, ‘the author and finisher of our faith,’ Hebrews 12:22; ‘let us go boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,’ Hebrews 4:16. Doubt not of entering into glory, having such a Captain.

Lead on, O King Eternal, the day of march and of battle has come. Lead on, O Captain of our Salvation, that in the middle of fierce temptations and seething battles for our thoughts and hearts we will see Your banner unfurled and Your sword of victory raised high and we follow You without fears. Bring many sons and daughters to glory--to the fullest awareness that this continent, this world and this universe are overflowing with the evidence of Your power and Your triumphs and those who follow You will delight in You now and spend eternity with You. Hallelujah! Amen.

June 3, 2018 - - James 4:14-16 Sixty Seconds

...yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."
James 4:14-16 ESV

Sixty seconds? Time to start munching into a
hamburger, to listen to the opening bars of a
symphony, to read the first page of a book or
to get an initial impression of a stranger--but
time too to shatter a family's world forever.
Moments heavy with pain and suffering far out-
weigh moments light with casual happiness.
~Os Guinness from "Unspeakable"
Context: accident where a man lost half his family

It saddens me to think how many people are okay with the bizarre thought of a godless universe starting itself by a Big Bang, okay with survival of the fittest without any reference to a deity and then these same people shout and accuse the very God they claimed they don't believe in when suddenly faced with very real pain and tragedy.

The Sovereign LORD of Heaven and Earth knows our pain as His beloved Son, innocent and blameless though He was, endured a trial by sinful men, mocking, humiliation and death on a cross. At the cross of Jesus Christ all wrongs are addressed. At the cross of Jesus Christ, critics are disarmed.

Those who believe on Jesus Christ are saved from the fears of the randomness of this world and the ghastly thought mere chance rules all. At the cross sin was disarmed. All who believe in Jesus Christ have their sins forgiven.

One day this same Jesus will return in power for the Day of Judgment. All the people of the earth, despots and kings, paupers, ordinary folks and billionaires, will face the Judge of Nations. Every single wrong will be redressed. Every single injustice will be answered for and punished.

King Jesus to You I bring my tears--of joy and of pain, of bewilderment and wonder. By Your Spirit rule my life in every thing and every situation. Thank You, King Jesus, that because of Your cross my sins are forgiven and my Father in heaven sees me through Your covering of righteousness. All I have and all I possess is Yours, lead me in the way everlasting. Give me the strength I need to follow You when all is well and give me the humble hope and faith to trust You when life is, according to my accounting, upside down. Renew in me the conviction and sure hope that on the Day of Judgment Your glory will be revealed, the Father's love made plain, the Spirit's steadfast presence in all things exposed and all wrongs redressed. Great are You Lord, and worthy of glory; great are You Lord and worthy of praise and worship. Amen.

...yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."
James 4:14-16 ESV

Sixty seconds? Time to start munching into a
hamburger, to listen to the opening bars of a
symphony, to read the first page of a book or
to get an initial impression of a stranger--but
time too to shatter a family's world forever.
Moments heavy with pain and suffering far out-
weigh moments light with casual happiness.
~Os Guinness from "Unspeakable"
Context: accident where a man lost half his family

It saddens me to think how many people are okay with the bizarre thought of a godless universe starting itself by a Big Bang, okay with survival of the fittest without any reference to a deity and then these same people shout and accuse the very God they claimed they don't believe in when suddenly faced with very real pain and tragedy.

The Sovereign LORD of Heaven and Earth knows our pain as His beloved Son, innocent and blameless though He was, endured a trial by sinful men, mocking, humiliation and death on a cross. At the cross of Jesus Christ all wrongs are addressed. At the cross of Jesus Christ, critics are disarmed.

Those who believe on Jesus Christ are saved from the fears of the randomness of this world and the ghastly thought mere chance rules all. At the cross sin was disarmed. All who believe in Jesus Christ have their sins forgiven.

One day this same Jesus will return in power for the Day of Judgment. All the people of the earth, despots and kings, paupers, ordinary folks and billionaires, will face the Judge of Nations. Every single wrong will be redressed. Every single injustice will be answered for and punished.

King Jesus to You I bring my tears--of joy and of pain, of bewilderment and wonder. By Your Spirit rule my life in every thing and every situation. Thank You, King Jesus, that because of Your cross my sins are forgiven and my Father in heaven sees me through Your covering of righteousness. All I have and all I possess is Yours, lead me in the way everlasting. Give me the strength I need to follow You when all is well and give me the humble hope and faith to trust You when life is, according to my accounting, upside down. Renew in me the conviction and sure hope that on the Day of Judgment Your glory will be revealed, the Father's love made plain, the Spirit's steadfast presence in all things exposed and all wrongs redressed. Great are You Lord, and worthy of glory; great are You Lord and worthy of praise and worship. Amen.

June 2, 2018 - - Luke 4:33-36 - - Jesus the Holy One

And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”
Luke 4:33-36 ESV

The demon knew Jesus as the Holy One of God. What a description. It is the holiness of God that terrifies demons. It is the holiness of God that makes the sin-filled tremble.

Perhaps one of the reasons many of us as Christians are so casual about our faith and worship practices is that we haven't come face to face with the holiness of God! Sin cannot stand in His presence. Sinners are "undone", feel as if they disintegrate, fly apart at the seams, because the Living God is so pure, so majestic, so holy.

Until we have been confronted with the holiness of God, we will not recognize the sinfulness that infests us. 
Until we recognize the sin that infests us, we will not truly understand the grace of Jesus Christ that makes us clean and shields us from the just wrath of God.
Once we have recognized the depths of God's holiness, we will realize the profound need we have of Christ and of His grace, we cannot help but humble ourselves before the Living God in wonder, worship and praise. Coffee mugs and hipster attitudes will be thrown far from us and we will, with awe and wonder, worship will mean throwing ourselves on the mercy of Jesus--He Who has the authority and power to shield us and bring us into the very presence of God.

Holy are You, LORD God Almighty! We are demented in sin and covered in hubris until Your holiness confronts us and shows us that evil does not reside "out there somewhere" but has a castle in our own hearts. King Jesus, break down every edifice of sinful resistance. Spirit of the Living God apply the finished work of Jesus to our hearts and minds, to our words and actions so that we will be a people of humble praise and fervent service witnessing to this world of the only hope of rescue: Jesus. Amen.

May 31, 2018 - - Isaiah 25:6-8 When Death is Swallowed UP

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the LORD God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he
will take away from all the earth
for the LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 25:6-8 ESV

The Day of the LORD will be a terror for those who hate Him and are rebellious against the LORD. All the earth will be judged.

For those whom the LORD loves, His chosen ones, He will spread a feast. Death will be defeated. Our ancient enemy, the veil of death which was God curse upon sin, will be lifted.

As a follower of Jesus Christ I know that death does not have the final victory. As a follower of Jesus Christ I long for the day when Jesus Christ will return with all His holy ones and great feast will begin--death thrown down and Jesus' feast of victory celebrated.

God of Victory and Feasting, we confess it is all too easy to focus on all that is wrong and unjust. Tender Father Who will wipe every tear from our eyes, by the power of Your Holy Spirit fill our thoughts with this glorious vision of Isaiah. Hold before our hearts and minds the fact that Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death. We commit to living for You, Jesus, without fearing the sneering of others or the persecution that will follow. In our lives, in our words and in our actions, be glorified Tender Father, Jesus the Victor, Spirit of Truth. Amen.

May 29, 2018 - - Hebrews 12:22-24 Worship

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Hebrews 12:22-24 NKJV

When we gather for worship--in our homes with our families, in prayer times with others, in the sanctuaries of our churches--we are surrounded by the saints of God.

R.C. Sproul recalled a time he spoke to a gathering of 30 people who were in a church hall that could accommodate 800 - 1000 people. To the 30 people gathered there he said:
     I am always frightened when I speak and intimidated and particularly when speaking to an audience this large. And they laughed. Then I took them to Hebrews and I reminded them that they when we assemble together for corporate worship, like now, we are in House of the Lord. The author of Hebrews tells us we are not assembling at the feet of a mountain that can be touched by human hands, but in the mystical communion of the saints. We are transported, as it were, into the heavenlies so that every time we come together in solemn assembly as Christians in corporate worship we are joined by the saints of the past, the spirits of just men that have been made perfect; that we enter into the Holy Place where Christ is and where the angels are. And that happens every time the people of God assemble for worship. Do you see your great-great-grandmother? Jesus? Martin Luther? See God? No. No. No. But they are there. 
Suppose you came to church and the veil was lifted, like for Israel. You see worship in heaven. Would it be any different than how you normally worship God?
If you saw Christ, high, and lifted up and saw elders and angels singing, "Worthy is the Lamb" and you are invited to participate. What would your worship be like?
One glimpse would transform our worship forever.
We'd understand why it is we are worshipping.
Americans are the most informal people on the face of the earth. When we are entering into the Presence of the Living God we are like Babe Ruth who when he entered into Buckingham Palace said, "Hi King!"

Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
He is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues people under me.
O LORD, what is man that you regard him,
or the son of may that you think of him? 
Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!
Prayer is Psalm 144:1-3, 15, ESV

May 28, 2018 - - Ephesians 2:10a Under Construction

For we are His workmanship... Ephesians 2:10a ESV

As I was out running this morning saw this sign: Construction. The road is torn up. The sidewalks are gone. Only the folks on the job site could possibly know what needs to be done. Realized it is that way with my life. To look at it my life is all torn up. No job. No ministerial credentials. Not physically fit. Yet God has His Spirit at work in me so that my life will conform more and more to Christ. I am in turmoil and yet my soul is at peace in Him. He will complete the work according to His perfect standard.

Help me to realize, God my Father, that the snapshot of me today is not the final portrait. Give me the faith I need during this construction time as the Spirit works out all things for good in my life according to the purposes and plans You mapped out in Christ. Amen.

May 24, 2018 - - Matthew 24:12-13

And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Matthew 24:12-13 ESV

How do we know we are in the end times? Our brief passage offers two profoundly simple answers: 1. lawlessness increases and 2. the love of many grows cold.

It seems so evident that lawlessness is increasing in our world. Our news programs, even our games, and newsfeed are filled with violence. Basic civility seems to be absent from so many conversations. That line: "the love of many grows cold" rings so true. It is painful to read and contemplate.

Who can survive and how? The words of I Corinthians 1:6ff are so beautiful and reassuring:
          even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among
          you--so that you are not lacking in any gift as you wait for
          the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you
          to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God
          is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of
          his Son, Jesus Christ.
The same God Who leads us in the way of salvation through Jesus Christ pours out His Holy Spirit so that Christians see their sinfulness, confess their sins, and are renewed in the desire to walk in love. God is faithful and He will keep us until the end of time when all peoples of the earth will be judged.

Soften my heart, O God of faithfulness and mercy, so that I will grow in love for You and grow in love for those You have placed in my life. Forgive my waywardness and sin. Forgive me for the times I have contributed to lawlessness and lovelessness by my words, deeds, and forgive me for the times I did not speak against or act against lawlessness or lovelessness. Spirit of God, increase my capacity for obedient living unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of all true believing. God of Majesty, Father, thank You that You sustain and guard Your people in these end times, that You are faithful and loving. Blessed be Your Name! Amen.

May 23, 2018 - - I Thessalonians 2:1-6 Cowardly or Bold

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.
I Thessalonians 2:1-6

Whenever and wherever we speak the Gospel, we are to be bold for Jesus. It can be very tempting to gauge the response of the audience and temper our reply according to how the Word is received.

A. N. Martin had a very good into this. The quotation that follows is specifically for preachers, but I believe all of us as Christians can benefit from what he writes.
               the apostle could say, conscious that the ministry of the
               Gospel was a stewardship as stewardship is predicated
               on the *approbation of God, as stewards responsible to
               keep in trust that which has been given to him. Not to
               alter it not to reshape it, not to refashion it and he says
               in that consciousness so we actually speak not as
               pleasing men. Now, if in our speaking there are certain
               men that are pleased, fine! But he said in speaking our
               aim is not to please men, but it is to secure the good
               pleasure of this God, Who tries our hearts, who knows
               every secret winding of every desire and motive, every
               glance at someone whose wrath you may fear and who
               causes you to hold back that sentence that you know
               would nail them to the pew. He proves your heart and He
               knows whether you’re being a good steward of the
               message given or you’re being a spiritual coward and a
               poor steward of the Living God.
              [*approbation: approval, praise]
                       ~from Lecture: "Deliverance from the Fear of Men

If you think this makes a Christian too harsh, too rigid, read on in I Thessalonians 2 where Paul describes his ministry as gentle as a nursing mother.

Father, forgive us for the times we have been cowardly in speaking the truth in love. Forgive us for the times we have blunted the Good News about Jesus in order to win the approval of others or by blunting it have tried to lessen the disapproval we anticipate receiving from the audience. We desire to declare the Gospel of God in the power of the Spirit in such a way that people will both hear the truth and see how dear they are to us.  In our lives, Lord, be glorified and by our testimony and obedient godly living gather in many people to the glory of the Kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of the Son You love, our Savior and King--Amen.

May 21, 2018 - - I Peter 5:8 Can you tame the lion of sin?

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
I Peter 5:8 NIV

While watching the T4G videos for 2018, I heard Matt Chandler give this great illustration. 
May of us treat sin as if it were a lion we have tamed. I was watching a TV show about animals that have attacked humans. There was a shampoo commercial where a woman was supposed to lie down on the back of a big male lion. You know, the kind with a huge mane. The lion attacked the woman. The trainer, in an interview afterwards, expressed surprise.
"Really man" Chandler exclaimed to his TV, "a lion is an apex predator! What were you expecting?"
Says the trainer to the camera: "I received this lion as a cub. Hand-feeding it, training it, working with it from early age."
Matt interjected "Really dude, it is a lion--all its instincts are honed to kill."
So it is with sin. Many of us toy with sin, we feed it, train it, tell it when to rest. We are shocked when it turns on us and consumes us. That is the nature of sin. We can NEVER control it. We are deluding ourselves if we let sin live.
[I'll include the link to Matt Chandler's talk.]
We read "set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct." 
I Peter 1:13-15 ESV
At the cost of Jesus' blood, we are the property of God. By the power of the Spirit we are given the great task of slaying sin and rooting out evil and living in holiness, wholly dedicated to the glory of God. There is no greater adventure.

Our lives pass quickly, O LORD, but Your Word remains forever. As the people chosen in Christ and made holy by Your Spirit, forgive us for the times we have toyed with sin or attempted merely to control or tame it by our own power. As sin wages war against our soul, help us to gain the victory in Christ Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation. May the world around us see our good deeds and glorify God~in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

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Citizens of Heaven: In the World But Not Of - Together for the Gospel

How do we live morally without falling into moralism? Matt Chandler argues that Christians must live in …

May 18, 2018 - - John 15:16 Fruitful living

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15:16 ESV

How do we know if we're driving too hard in a way that God never sanctioned? ... Take a look at these life-draining motivations and see if any resonate with you:
~External pressure without internal conviction
~The need to impress
~The need to save face
~The need to gain acceptance
~The fear of rejection
~The need to fill a gap God didn't ask you to fill
~The need to postpone conflict
~The need to compensate for shortcomings in another
area of life
So, how do we discern the difference between un-appointed busyness and God-ordained fruitfulness? Jesus taught us to look at the fruit. Pause here for a moment and look over your shoulder at the busyness of this past year. Has all of you output left you with an increased sense of expectancy and wonder?
From: "Your Sacred Yes" Susie Larson, pages 35 - 37

Father in heaven, thank You for choosing us in Jesus' Name. Thank You for giving us life in Jesus so that we can bear fruit that brings you glory. Forgive us for the times we do things, tasks and activities which You have not called us to do. By Your Holy Spirit give us the ability to wait on You before answering with a gracious "no" or a "sacred yes". Thank You for the promise that though the righteous falls seven times they will rise again in the strength of Your forgiving grace and love. Renew the strength of Your weary servants so that we will live fruitful lives wherein You establish the work of our hands for us to the praise of Your great Name! Amen.

May 17, 2018 - - Psalm 84:9 The Strong Shield

Behold our shield, O God;

look on the face of your anointed!

Psalm 84:9 ESV

When a Christian sins--and we all sin--the just anger of God falls on His anointed. The Word "anointed" is Messiah. Jesus is our Messiah. The Messiah Jesus shields us from the anger of our Holy Father by pointing to His accomplished work on the cross. We are free because He took the punishment we deserved. He is our shield.

What a glorious prayer! What a great hope: "behold--God our God--look at the One Who is shielding us: Your beloved Son, our Saviour, Jesus". As we contemplate this, our joy grows and our desire becomes this~to conform more and more to the will and way of God.

Spirit of the Living God, plow up the soil of my heart and remove the tangled weeds of sin. Dig out the long runner roots of those same weed which are often deeply buried and hidden from my understanding. Sift out the seeds of the weeds of sin. Spirit of God, in the confidence of the accomplished work of Jesus, the anointed One, help me to confess my sins. Renew in me these lush plants: serving God in the joy of my salvation along with increasing the desire to please the heavenly Father by thought, word and deed and all of this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

May 16, 2018 - - Jeremiah 1:4 & 5

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 1:4 & 5 ESV

Yesterday I was listening to a sermon on-line and the preacher made this interesting statement: "Prophets never had an enviable office". A prophet is someone set apart by God who speaks the Word of God to the people. Their lives are dedicated to following the LORD and their obedience is a sign to the people to whom they have been commissioned to preach.

Consider these prophets.

Jeremiah-the call of the LORD was so heavy on him and his heart so compassionate for the people he prophesied to that he often lamented.

"Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night..." Jeremiah 9:1

The LORD told Ezekiel that his wife, who was described as the delight of his eyes, would die and he was not to weep or mourn for her. That night she died. Ezekiel 24:15ff

Daniel, the faithful prophet of God, prayer-warrior and trusted advisor to King Darius, was thrown into a pit filled with hungry lions. God spared him (Daniel 6:1ff) however, Daniel lived with the fact that fellow advisors and leaders hated and betrayed him.

Jonah tried to run from God. He was swallowed by a great fish. He spent three days and nights in the belly of the fish, and was vomited onto the shore of the very place he had tried to run away from. Smelling life fish vomit he went out and preached to a nation that hated his own people...and they listened to the malodorous prophet!

Following Jesus will mean we WILL experience hardships. Our lives are not our own. Yet we have a greater treasure than any earthly treasure: God Himself is our shield and very great reward. Jesus gives life full and abundant. The Spirit of God guards us for God until we see Him face to face. There is no greater adventure and no more complex wrestling and no deeper joy than belonging to God.

God our Shield and Very Great Reward--there are many times when the promises of the Bible seem to be at odds with the reality of our lives. By the standards of the world we experience heartbreak and sorrows, troubles and loss. Give us faith, so that with the prophet-apostle Paul we can say: "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Jesus, Merciful King, be for Your people what is promised is the Scripture: "eternal pleasure at the right hand of the Father" and our "Strength and Song". Let the light and momentary, but very complicated and real, struggles of our lives be set in contrast with the glories of eternity and pour out Your Spirit to sustain us. In our lives, LORD God, be glorified. Amen.

May 15, 2018 - - Luke 4:42-44 God's grace to the overwhelmed

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose." And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Luke 4:42-44 ESV

Jesus was perfect in all His ways. He was fully obedient to His Father in heaven. He did not succumb to the pressures of the will of people and what they desired of Him. How much more do we, weak and foolish people as we are, need to learn how to say no to people and things so that we may obey God above all else.

Beware of taking on excessive responsibilities—God will give you enough strength to take on the will of God but

not enough strength to take on what everyone else thinks you should do! There is a simple little word your fallen nature learned as a child and now as an adult under the impulse of grace you need to say: “No!” To say “no” in the Holy Ghost is essential to having physical and emotional health in your later years.

From: A. N. Martin

Father in heaven, in Christ You have brought believers from death to life. We are Yours, bought at the great and precious price of Christ's suffering, death and resurrection. By the power of Your Spirit, Who instructs us in the Scripture, help us to offer our minds, bodies, will and actions as instruments for righteousness. We confess, we are often so weary, so overwhelmed by our "to do" lists and the lists of things not done. Spirit of God, move us to speak a firmly gracious "no" to the things which would hinder us from carrying out the will of God. Strengthen us for obedient joy in Jesus' precious Name. Amen.